To evaluate the influence on sperm parameters and in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcomes of the administration of 400 mg/day of vitamin E for 3 months to men from infertile couples who are undergoing IVF. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study. Human reproduction unit of a university hospital. A total of 101 couples, 50 in the vitamin E group and 51 in the placebo group, undergoing IVF, among whom 64.4% of cases had an abnormal spermiogram according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Vitamin E (α-tocopherol), 400 mg daily by mouth for 3 months, with sperm analysis performed immediately before starting the treatment and 3 months later on the day of IVF. WHO sperm parameters and IVF outcomes. Although there was a statistically significant increase in progressive motility in the vitamin E group compared with before-treatment values, a similar increase occurred in the placebo group. Normal morphology was even better in the placebo group. Regarding IVF outcomes, better fertilization rates were observed in the placebo group, but the live-birth rate per transfer was statistically significantly higher in the vitamin E group: 17 (41.46%) of 41 versus 9 (20.46%) of 44 in the placebo group. Although the clinical pregnancy rates (both per transfer and per cycle started) and the implantation rate were somewhat higher in the vitamin E group (43.9% and 25%; 36.0% and 22.0%; and 24.7% and 14.1%, respectively), the increase was not statistically significant. The effect of vitamin E on classic sperm parameters was not an improvement over placebo. Nonetheless, vitamin E administration was associated with a statistically significantly higher live-birth rate, and there was a trend toward better results in other IVF parameters. Eudra CT 2007-000960-25.

Background: The decision of whether frozen embryo transfer (FET) should be performed in the cycle immediately after OPU or at least one cycle later is controversial. FET could improve pregnancy rates in IVF; however, how much time is needed for the endometrium to return to optimal receptivity after ovarian stimulation is not known.Methods: Electronic search in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify studies providing data on the influence of the interval between embryo freezing (or OPU) and FET in FET cycles published between January 1, 2007, and February 1, 2020.Main findings: Data analyzed indicated that in the immediate FET cycles, there was a trend to an increased biochemical pregnancy rate (RR = 1.08; CI = 1.00‐1.18), whereas the clinical pregnancy rate was somewhat higher, but without reaching statistical significance (RR = 1.07; CI = 0.99‐1.15). The live birth rate was similar in the two groups (RR = 1.05; CI = 0.95‐1.15), as was the implantation rate (RR = 0.98; CI = 0.83‐1.16). Stratifying by embryo stage or FET type (freeze‐all or FET after failed fresh transfer) showed no differences.Conclusion: Systematically delaying FET does not offer benefits to IVF outcomes. In addition, immediate transfer is associated with a nonsignificant trend to better clinical pregnancy rate and it also avoids the psychological effects of prolonging the stress on prospective parents.

Increasing evidence suggests that the antioxidant paraoxonase proteins, PON1, PON2, and PON3, have a role in reproduction and may be synthesized by ovarian cells. The aim of this work was to investigate whether human ovarian granulosa cells (GC) express paraoxonases 1, 2, and 3 (PON1, PON2, and PON3) at both the transcriptional and protein levels. Cells were purified from follicle samples of women undergoing ovarian stimulation at oocyte retrieval. We analyzed mRNA by polymerase chain reaction using specific primers for the different variants and quantified the proteins by Western blot using commercially available human recombinant PON proteins as standards. The protein subcellular distribution was determined by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy and the cell cycles by flow cytometry. Thymidine was used for cellular synchronization at G1/S. Human hepatoma HepG2 and immortalized granulosa COV434 cell lines were used to optimize methodologies. mRNAs from PON1, the two variants of PON2, and PON3 were detected in GC. The cells actively secreted PON1 and PON3, as evidenced by the protein detection in the incubation medium. PON1 and PON3 were mainly distributed in the cytoplasm and notably in the nucleus, while PON2 colocalized with mitochondria. Subcellular nucleo-cytoplasmic distribution of PON1 was associated with the cell cycle. This is the first evidence describing the presence of mRNAs and proteins of the three members of the PON family in human ovarian GC. This study provides the basis of further research to understand the role of these proteins in GC, which will contribute to a better understanding of the reproduction process.

La P o pregn-4-en-3,20-diona es una hormona sintetizada a partir del colesterol, principalmente en el ovario. Su principal función es preparar el endometrio para posibilitar la implantación y el desarrollo embrionario. Su acción se lleva a cabo mediante la interacción con los receptores intranucleares, de los que existen dos isoformas cuya expresión varía diferencialmente a lo largo del ciclo ovárico. La P induce toda una serie de cambios histológicos tanto en el epitelio como en el estroma endometriales, así como en la secreción endometrial, cuya conjunción posibilita la implantación embrionaria —siempre y cuando exista un embrión de buena calidad— y su correcto desarrollo. La P tiene otras acciones genitales como el espesamiento del moco cervical, la relajación de la motilidad tubárica y uterina e incluso influye en el quimiotactismo de los espermatozoides. Cuenta también con diversas acciones sistémicas: mamarias, metabólicas, e incluso neurológicas y psicológicas.